With ten independent parts, The Cambridge Handbook is both a reference resource and a general introduction to contemporary China. It concentrates on the period since 1990, but information about earlier periods is provided where necessary as context or to illustrate long-term patterns. The result should have something for anyone curious about modern China; it is not just a reference for specialists.

Six of the sections are basically narrative in structure, most of them around fifteen to twenty pages in length. Part two is a survey of the political and legal systems of the People's Republic of China (PRC), part five looks at some key issues in China's foreign relations, particularly those with the United States and international organizations, part six is a thirty page description of China's economy, part seven covers demographics, part nine China's minorities (Mackerras' own specialty), and part ten the education system. These are liberally provided with graphs and tables, but those are integrated into the text - the most indigestible portions are probably a three page list of all the autonomous areas within the PRC and six pages listing the dates different countries recognised the PRC (with comments on their positions on the Taiwan question).

Four of the sections are more oriented to browsing. Part one is an eighty page chronicle of events - going back to 1949, but with much more space for recent events (half a page on 1950, but nearly ten pages on 1999). Part three offers thirty pages of brief biographies of eminent contemporary figures. Part eight is a geographical gazetteer, surveying individual provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. And part four is a thirty page bibliography, offering not just lists of titles but over two hundred mini-reviews (brief paragraph descriptions) grouped thematically (following much the same structure as the book as a whole). This restricts itself to books published since 1990, in English.

Overall, it's a great overview of modern China.

a good collection, but October has sure pulled back from any connection to actual contemporary art (which is a shame).

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the International Workshop on Security Protocols held in Cambridge, UK, in April 1996, in the context of the special program on computer security, cryptology, and coding theory at the Isaac Newton Institute. The 17 revised full papers and one abstract included in the book were carefully selected. Among the topics addressed are several types of public key cryptosystems, digital cash, electronic commerce, digital signatures, and visual cryptography. Besides original theoretical results, the collection of papers show a strong applications-oriented component.

I picked this book on a whim while on vacation at the beach--I'd been having a tough time getting through entire books once the school year had ended (I teach college)--this book was a delightful antidote to all that-- The author's sense of humor and attention to telling detail in her evocation of family life in the early part of this century was interesting, entertaining and informative--The characters (from the famous scientist Pavlov to her father's maiden sisters who lived with the family and carved out careers when women did not do that)were people one would like to have met-I loved getting a picture of how Cambridge, Boston and Harvard were then as well as how a large, lively, eccentric and intellectual bunch of people lived their lives-- The drawings were fun, too!--A good old fashioned memoir which shines a positive light on its subject(s)!

This book provides a great insight into the history and design of type, and quite a bit of the commentary is useful even today. Morison is well known, of course, for the Times New Roman face - and there is a section in the book on that face. But his commentary on the designing of faces like Plantin and Bembo is much more interesting, if you ask me. Also, if you are at all a fan of Eric Gill, you will like the section on Perpetua and Felicity. Anyone interested in the history of type should have this book, that much is certain.

It really offends me to see Latin teachers writing the horrible reviews I've seen here. I myself am a product of their old-school teaching method of memorizing declension after declension and conjugation after conjugation. And you know what? After years of learning, I could tell you what the form of the third declension third person singular passive pluperperfect indicative is without blinking, but that wasn't all I needed to enjoy reading real Latin literature.

This whole series of books teaches you to READ Latin. You'll probably need a supplementary text or something to learn the grammar of Latin if you're new to the language, since there is very little grammatical explanation in this text. However, the intuitive approach of gradually adding different grammatical structures allows you to assimilate sentence structures slow enough to learn to READ in Latin instead of to "read" by translating slowly (and badly).

If you are truly new to the language, I recommend this book (and the rest of the series) as a reader. Get a grammar book, and then use this to learn how to apply your knowledge of grammar.

My story: I gave up trying to read classical literature in the original despite years of Latin training in high school and college because I was never taught how to read the language. I was taught to conjugate and decline and to look at a Latin sentence like it was some sentence-diagramming exercise. But when I came upon a whole set of this series in a used book story, I bought them to give it a try.

I started with the first book in the series (even though it was extremely simple for me), and I made it all the way through the fourth book in a couple of months. But the amazing thing is that I can actually read Latin now! Recently I picked up a copy of Cicero's orations (with vocabulary and such), and I can read them in real sentences... probably like a Roman actually would read instead of the artificial "find the verb, now find the subject" approach that is taught in many classrooms. I've been inspired to build up my vocabulary further, and I have no doubts that I'll soon be reading original unaltered classical Latin for PLEASURE-- all thanks to the Cambridge Latin Course.

I love Wheelock. Buy Wheelock, and study him every day to learn your grammar cold. But if you actually want to enjoy reading Latin, buy this series too. The Cambridge series is just the thing to apply all that grammar study and finally make it worthwhile.

This is the series we used when I learned Latin in high school. It is the best language text I have ever read, and I have a soft spot for it in my heart. Many traditional Latin teachers are uncomfortable with the premise of the series: that Latin can be learned intuitively. Phinney wanted students to learn the grammar without effort, and the book is amazingly effective in its mission. This book begins with baby Latin that it is simple enough to understand, but no one ever wrote in Latin that way. Then each unit increases the complexity of the passages. In Unit IV, historic Latin texts are introduced.

The greatest problem with the series occurs in the transition between Unit III and Unit IV. You must learn the declensions, etc. in tabular form before you can truly parse historic Latin, and parsing is what ensures an accurate translation.

Fortunately, you shouldn't have any problem doing this, because the tables will make perfect sense to you due to the Phinney effect. All you should be doing is formally naming what you already knew. (As one reader points out, all this formal stuff is in the back of each book, too.)

If you are worried, I would suggest buying Phinney's Guide to Latin Grammar. It is meant to be used with this series from day one, and it has all the hardcore grammar you could desire.

First of all, the reviews I have read for this all say something wrong. One claims that the only reason to learn Latin is to read Classical Latin writtings. No, no, no. Latin is a passionate romantic language of scholars and historians. It represents the Western World alongside Greek like nothing else. If one learns it only for reading purposes, may the Earth tremble with ignorance. If you are going to learn a language to read with, why not learn Sumerian and read ancient tax audits? Another review said that Latin is the hardest of the European languages. First, no language is harder to learn than any other language from a worldly perpective. Secondly, for an English speaker Latin is not the hardest European language to learn (well, actually Latin is not a European language, because it is dead). I am assuming he said because of the noun cases Latin posseses. Russian, Turkish, Polish, Basque, Finnish, and many others have cases and a sentence order more complicated to the English speaker than Latin. The truth is, every American should learn Latin, to keep the light of History, Science, and Romance alive. And believe me, this is the best book for it.

I began to think that Langton sat with a map of Venice to write her story and name-drop places. I really think this book was not well written, badly proofread and why was it necessary to use all that profanity? If it weren't for the Venice setting it would be as dull as her Boston books.

Having read almost all of the Homer Kelly mysteries by Jane Langton, I was surprised by this one. Not only does it take place outside the normal venue, but as well, Homer plays a very small part in the book, with Mary doing most of the detecting. As usual, Ms. Langton does an excellent job of wrapping up several seemingly disparate plotlines into one tidy ending. The descriptions of Venice are interesting, although at times are rather more like a list of attractions rather than true descriptions. All in all, not the best of the series; but even when not the best, a Jane Langton book is better than most in the genre.

This might not be the best Homer Kelly mystery to start with, but it is definitely worth reading if you like the series. Most of the Homer Kelly books take place in Boston; occassionally on another site, such as Florence (the Dante Game) and Oxford (the Longest Day). Unlike the previous reviewer, I did not find ANY of the Boston books boring. This one, that takes place in Venice, is a great introduction to the city. And Mary Kelly is more of the main character than Homer. But for those of us who have READ EVERY ONE, it was interesting to see Mary in a foreign city and the danger she finds herself in. Perhaps not the best, but a very good look at Venice and to an extent, Medieval art.

How does she do it? How does Susan Conant keep turning out such entertaining mysteries with great characterizations? I don't know, but thank you, Ms. Conant! These books are a boon to dog lovers and mystery lovers, especially those who are both!

This book kept me on the edge of my seat. I couldn't wait to see how the mystery came out -- and I *really* couldn't wait to see how the relationship part came out. No, I'm not going to spoil the surprise. Let me just say that I hope the next book comes out very soon!

When Booklist says "It's easy to find faults with Conant: her stilted descriptions of Maine's Acadia National Park sound as though they were lifted from an old Fodor. Likewise, the indigestible trivia about breeds and training she drops into the text land like stale dog biscuits on the basement floor," well, the heck with that publication. I liked the descriptions and I **loved** the bits on dogs, because they ring of truth -- and great love for all dogs.

It's a delight to read this stuff. It's also given me some obedience ideas. Hmmmm . . . Katie, come!

I was surprised by the mixed reviews of this book. I have read many Susan Conant books, and consider this as one of my top three favorites. I loved the change of setting, and the new characters were refreshing and had depth. I am hoping they will be recurring in Conant's upcoming books. Far from being disappointed with the development of Steve Delaney's character, I was thrilled that Conant took the risk~she successfully avoids the standard relationship storyline and creates something much more intriguing. And getting to know Buck was a welcome event. Most importantly, the Holly Winter character retains the strong, independent, and dog-loving nature that I love about her, and I look forward to more!

I am always on the lookout for Susan Conant's latest "Dog Lover's Mystery," and in Creature Discomforts, she has produced another howling good time. This time, the mystery is set in Maine's Acadia National Park rather than heroine Holly Winter's usual Cambridge, Mass., milieu, a change of venue I found refreshing. There, Holly faces an even greater challenge than usual: solving the murder of an environmental curmudgeon as she struggles with amnesia resulting from an accidental (!?) fall while hiking in the park with her beloved Alaskan malamutes, Rowdy and Kimi. Poor Holly doesn't recognize or remember most of the people she comes into contact with, and must carefully navigate a web of deceit to not only uncover the murderer but also reveal some financial shenanigans as well. As always, I was deeply impressed by the author's ability to weave together topical subject matter (this time, environmentalism) with loads of dog-related tidbits, and a barking good mystery! Loyal followers of Holly, Rowdy, and Kimi's adventures will appreciate the character development of Holly's warming relationship with her father and a rather shocking development in her ongoing romance with Cambridge vet Steve Delaney. One caveat: Some fans may miss some of the usual supporting cast of characters they've come to love, such as Holly's neighbor Kevin the cop and her upstairs tenant Rita the psychologist. All in all, I can't wait for the next Susan Conant "Dog Lover's Mystery"!

Jo Becker has a loving husband, three adult daughters and a couple of dogs - an enviable lifestyle - if perhaps not idyllic. The appearance of an acquaintance, Eli Mayhew, reawakens memories from her past with startling revelations. This is a tension-filled, easily readable book that races towards an anti-climatic conclusion.

I would have preferred a suitable explanation to Dana's murder. It just happened and then - voila - 30 years down the line, the murderer confesses. I did enjoy reading this well-written book, especially the beautiful sermon by Daniel which was so inspiring. However, I found the ending rather unsatisfactory, particularly the outcome of the murder of Dana.

Some minor flaws were evident which did not deter from my enjoyment of the book. All in all - a very good book.

This was the first of Sue Miller's books I have read, though it turns out several of her other stories had becomes movies that I've seen and enjoyed.

While I Was Gone is a beautifully written novel, filled with twists and turns and unexpected surprises. Jo, the protagonist, is living a fulfilled and comfortable life in the Maine countriside with her husband. She is a veterinarian and he, a minister. They have three grown daughters. Their lives are full, happy, contented, until the day Jo has some sort of a premonition, or as she feels, an "admonition". Sure enough, she shortly thereafter crosses paths with a man from her past, a man who was part of a group house where she lived in her early 20s. His appearance evokes memories long since forgotten by Jo, and sends her on a journey of both self-discovery and uncovering the truth about a long-kept secret.

Miller's prose is unbelievably lovely. Her descriptions, her story telling, all are remarkable. While there were a few moments where I was confused by which character was which, in the end Miller has acheived a quality all writers aspire to: weaving a compelling tale that leaves the reader satisfied, introspective and content.

When I first sat down to read this book, I had no idea what I was getting into. It started out with a description of what I would describe a typical family--a husband, wife and children. The children have all 'flown the coop', leaving Jo and Daniel alone in the house with the dogs. Jo is a veterinarian who treats a dog belonging to someone from another lifetime, when she was in her 20s. When Eli comes back into her life courtesy of his dog, Jo starts remembering when she was in her 20s. She ran away from her home and started another life because she was restless and needed a change. She met a group of people and moved in with them in Cambridge, in the 60s. From there, the story goes back and forth, from present day back to the 60s. You get the perspective of her back then and now. The book is remarkably well written. Sue Miller does not miss a beat when she describes the interactions between Jo and Daniel and Jo and her 'other' family in Cambridge. The book is incredible in the description and portrayals of every character.

While I Was Away addresses the restlessness that probably most people feel but may never act upon. It describes one woman's journey to 'find herself' in the 60s. It takes a tragedy to bring her together with the man she will eventually marry and have a family with. It also addresses Jo's need to put closure to the tragedy in the 60s.

I recommend this book highly.

I use the word stunningly only semi-figuratively. This book purports to be a series of diverse explorations of a great theologian and martyr. It is nothing of the sort. We hear nothing from reformed evangelicals who regard Bonhoeffer as virtually apostate. Instead we have a collection of essays written by those who claim to pass as Lutherans and Anglicans (there is I believe one Roman Catholic) whose next claim to fame after violating the kerygma of Christianity will no doubt be to announce with pride that they are baptizing Dolphins. Consider the statement " People like Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi illustrate what Bonhoeffer means (p 118) All one has to do is to read the first page of Bonhoeffer's Ethics to realize that hypothetically however much he may have admired them they represent exactly the OPPOSITE of what Bonhoeffer means. Bonhoeffer is a LUTHERAN and a conservative one at that but these writers are using Bonhoeffer to suit their own agendas (which they concede has often been done) Don't read this book--read The Ethics or Act and Being--notice the influence of Barth. Bonhoffer deserves better than to be left in the hands of the "Honest to God" people. It might also be good to have a look at what Luther said as well.

I am beginnig a series of lesson s on Bonhoeffer and found this volume to be invaluable as a course material.

Cambridge Press and editor John W. DeGruchy have done a great service to those seeking a better understanding of this great theologian and pastor. Bonhoeffer began writing just as Hitler and the Nazis began their rise to power; his life ended by hanging in a concentration camp just days before the Allies arrived. Although his works stand as a powerful argument against the German church's surrender to the terror of Nazism, they are just as powerful and relevant today. The authors are noted Bonhoeffer scholars who share not only a deep respect for the man but a desire to help others understand and appreciate him. Each chapter is well-researched and scholarly, but readable and fascinating. The English-language bibliography is a great resource for further reading and research. This book is a must for everyone interested in learning more about one of this century's greatest theologians.